29 victories: Makhachev and Nurmagomedov open a new page in MMA history

At UFC 330, held in Philadelphia, USA, welterweight champion Islam Makhachev defeated the division’s No. 1 contender, Ireland’s Yen Machado Gerri, by unanimous decision.

This achievement was not only another successful defense of his championship belt, but also saw Islam Makhachev reach a significant statistical milestone in the history of professional mixed martial arts.

29 victories: A record level with Nurmagomedov

With this success, Makhachev matched the total number of victories recorded during the career of his close friend and former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov:

• Makhachev’s record: The 34-year-old champion now has 29 victories and just 1 defeat to his name;

• Khabib’s record: Khabib Nurmagomedov left the octagon with a 29-0 record, retiring as an absolutely undefeated fighter;

• Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s legacy: Both champions grew up together from childhood and are fighters who developed under the guidance and within the school of the late legendary coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

The second major test in a new division

The clash with Gerri was Makhachev’s second official bout in his new weight division:

• Title defense: After moving up to welterweight, the Russian fighter successfully retained his championship title by confidently controlling the division’s most dangerous and undefeated contender for five rounds;

• Historic dominance: Islam Makhachev has proven his dominance in two different weight divisions in modern UFC history and remains one of the sport’s undisputed ranking leaders.

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